Expecting A Life (The Outsiders fanfic)

Chapter 10

Sorry I've been gone! I was on vacation! Enjoy these updates! :D



Chapter 10

• Six months later •

"Wow, it's been awhile since I've seen you!" I say to my teacher. I'm going to start calling her Ms. J since I just figured out her name since it was changed to here. I know it's late to find out but whatever.

She laughs. "Yes, I know," she answers as we walk along outside. "How are you with things?"

"Staying was the best choice I've ever made. You wouldn't believe it."

"I believe you! You have such a wonderful family with you, JT."

"Thanks. They're a handful. Especially Tucker even though he's Dally's."

"I bet you didn't expect that, did you?" she asks.

"Are you kidding me?! Who would've known?"

"I did." I laugh.

"Of course you did. So... What are things like at home?"

"You were never there! And if you're wondering, you don't have a futuristic twin. I promise." I laugh. "Anyways... You have a beautiful daughter. I can't believe how much she looks like both of you."

"Thanks! Any news I need to know?"

"Well... Your mother is okay. She's really in Texas, you know. Oh, and tomorrow, you'll be getting a letter. I think you'll be quite pleased and surprised with its contents. Also, someone will be getting a very interesting phone call soon."

"What do you mean?" She smiles and hugs me. Then she kisses my cheek.

"I've grown fond to you, JT. You know I can't tell you though. You'll figure it out, darling."

•••

I wake up to an empty bed and empty room. I frown and stand up and stretch. I change into some high-waisted shorts and a button up and pull up my hair before I walk into the living room. I'm greeted by everyone sitting around.

I notice Two-Bit sitting in the floor and staring at the TV with Baby leaning against him. He points to Mickey Mouse on the screen, and she has a fit of giggles. I smile and lean on the doorway.

"What time is it?" I ask.

"About nine," Darry says.

"What are you doing home?"

"Same reason you are. It's Sunday."

"Oh... I don't think I got enough sleep or something," I mumble. I sit on the quilt laid out on the floor where Baby was sitting and playing with her toys.

She's grown up so much now. Baby's sitting up on her own and babbling. We've been trying to get her to say something, but she won't say anything. Her hair is dark and wild too. It's almost unbelievable.

Two-Bit lets her crawl over to me. "I think she likes Mickey too, JT," he says. I smile and make her sit up.

"Can you say 'momma'?" I ask her. She giggles. "You little stinker."

"She was talking up a storm earlier," Steve says. "She wasn't saying nothing."

I pick her up and set her in my lap when I sit on the couch by Ponyboy. I bounce her on my knees, and she giggles.

"Can you say 'daddy'?" he asks her.

"Da... dee!" she shrieks. I look at him and smile widely.

"She likes me better," he says. I laugh.

"That was Tucker's first real word," Dallas speaks up. "He didn't talk until I got him."

I'll have to admit, Dallas is doing great at this parenting thing. I thought it would be forever until he realized he had to step up. I guess I put him in his place real quick. I'm glad I did or else he would've walked out.

And I'm also glad Ponyboy's out of school. I really need him around for a while. I'm proud he graduated, and it turns out he had a scholarship to the state university for writing and track. I couldn't be prouder.

"Hey Johnny," I say. "You wanna hold her?" He shrugs. I pass her over and show him how to properly hold her. He smiles from ear to ear and looks at me and Ponyboy.

"She's real cute," he says. He bounces her once. "Hey there Baby." She laughs and pokes his cheek.

"How about it, Uncle Johnny?" Pony asks. They laugh. That doesn't sound like a bad idea once you think about it. In fact, I like that the whole gang is like Baby's uncles.

There's a knock on the door, and Darry answers. After he talks to the person at the door, he comes back inside shuffling through a stack of envelopes.

"Who was that?" Soda asks.

"Neighbor who got our mail yesterday." He hands an envelope to me. "This is yours."

I open it and begin reading. It's some sort of letter from the bank. It talks about how when my dad died, his will mentioned leaving me a fortune. I gasp as I read the amount left to me in $30,000.

"JT, what's wrong?" Pony asks.

"Nothing's wrong!"

"Then why'd you-"

"Because! I got thirty thousand dollars left to me!"

"What?" Darry asks. "What do you mean?"

"In my dad's will, that amount goes to me. Guys, think of all the things we could do! The possibilities are endless!" I say.

"Darry, we could get a bigger house or something!" Soda says happily.

"Hold on there, little buddy. It's JT's money."

"True. What are you gonna do with it?" he asks.

"I don't know yet. I've only known I've had this money for two minutes," I reply. "It says that everything's already been taken care of since my mom signed off on everything."

"Dang. Ain't this a nice change?" Dally asks.

"It sure is..."

"JT, can you take Baby? She's hurting my head," Johnny says. I look up from the letter to see Baby pulling a fistful of his hair.

"Baby! No!" I scold. I take her away. Instead of holding her myself, I pass her to Steve who hasn't held her yet.

"Hey, no!" he objects.

"Hey, yes."

"C'mon. All she does is drool and giggle," Ponyboy says.

"The drool part is all I'm worried about," Steve answers. He holds her out away from him like she'll bite. She sticks her hand in her mouth and babbles again. "Is she supposed to be doing that?"

"Yes. You'll get used to it," I answer. "Go on! Hold her on your side." He reluctantly does so and smiles. With her other hand, she grabs his nose.

"She's rowdy, ain't she?" he asks in a funny voice.

"Rowdy doesn't begin the list," Pony says.

"Oh brother."

"Here, I'll take her back," I insist. He hands her back, and I sit back on the couch and repeatedly kiss her cheek. She giggles.

"I bet she'll like this," Soda says, sitting in the floor to meet her at eye level. He covers his eyes and plays peek-a-boo with her. It sends Baby into a fit of giggles.

"Man, my niece sure is loud," Darry says. I give him a thumbs up.

Baby puts her hand in her mouth and makes constant noise. I move her arm to shake her hand, distorting the sound she makes. Everyone laughs.

"Hey, Dal. I gotta show you what I taught Tucker," I say.

"Oh boy."

"Tucker, blow kisses!" I tell him, motioning with my hand. He takes his whole hand, covers his little mouth, and slings his arm out, making a funny noise. Dallas smiles down at him.

"Jeez, you really made my kid tough, huh?"

"Your welcome. He'll be a ladies' man now."

Ponyboy takes Baby and places her on his lap. She stares at him and pokes at his face.

"Give daddy kisses!" I tell her, leaning over and kissing him on the cheek. Baby leans in and puts her face to his. "Aw! Close enough!"

"Eh. Baby kisses are wet," Ponyboy says.

"Yeah, and that's how you like them!" Two-Bit comments, laughing hysterically.

We go on about the day, playing with Baby and Tucker, hanging out, and just having a fun time. Eventually I decide to put the kids down for a nap. I wish I could take one myself, but I'm not all too tired.

I go back into the living room and rest my head on Pony's shoulder. He holds my hand gently. The gang seems to have gotten used to us being together by now. I think they support it.

"They're a real handful, huh?" Two-Bit asks.

"Yeah," Dallas and I say at the same time. Then we laugh.

"Well I'm glad it's working like it is," Darry says.

"Yeah. We ain't struggling as bad as I figured we would," I answer.

"But what're you gonna do with all that money, JT?" Soda asks.

"I'm thinking maybe a house, kinda like you said, or something for Baby. I'm not so sure yet."

"You might wanna keep it in the bank for later, you know what I'm saying?" Darry asks. I nod.

"How'd we get here?" Steve asks. "You know, with the two kids and all of us here."

"Stuff just kinda happens," Johnny says. "Sometimes for better or for worse."

"That was deep," Dally says, smiling. Johnny shyly looks away. I wonder if he ever asks himself things like that and answers them like that.

"Hey, Dal. Are you gonna do something for Tucker's first birthday?" Ponyboy asks.

"I ain't been thinking about it," he replies.

"We should at least get him a cake or something. You know?" I say. "Maybe I can go down to the store tomorrow and get some extra things I need for it."

"Would you care to?" he asks.

"Not at all. I mean, he's practically family. I don't care to."

"Mamama!" I hear from mine and Pony's room. I sigh.

"Jeez. She won't go to sleep at all!" I complain. I get up and walk into our room. She's standing at the edge of the crib, holding herself up on the rail. I glance at Tucker who's lying on the bed with pillows surrounding him so he won't fall off.

The door creaks and shuts. I look at Ponyboy as he walks up behind me. I pick up Baby as she puckers out her bottom lip with tears running down her face.

"What's wrong, Baby? Huh?" I say quietly. "Did you have a bad dream?"

"I wouldn't doubt if she did. She's been waking up a lot again," he says.

"Really? I guess I'm so tired that I don't even notice much."

"Yeah. Maybe she saw something that made her have nightmares."

"Maybe," I agree. We're silent for a while so I can get her to sleep again. I lay her in the crib again and stand back up to fold my arms and lean against Ponyboy.

He turns me around and kisses my lips slowly and softly. He pulls away and smiles.

"What was that for?" I ask.

"No reason. I felt like it."

"I'm glad you're home for a while."

"Yeah. I am too." He kisses me again, putting his fingers in my hair. I pull away this time.

"Hey. Save that for another time, will ya?" I ask. He smiles then winks.

"Sure thing." I laugh.

I take a good long look at the quiet and thoughtful boy I've come to fall absolutely in love with.

•••

Later that night after everyone ate and the boys went home, I put Baby in her crib and Tucker on a makeshift bed on the couch by Dally. Dally went out to go pick something up, whatever that may be, and I walk to the kitchen table and sit in a chair and sip on a glass of milk.

The phone rings, and Darry gets up from reading the newspaper to answer. I turn to Ponyboy and Soda while he talks.

"So...?" I ask.

"How's work?" Soda asks.

"It's good. Business is great. Ms. Hazel says it's because I'm down there."

"I wouldn't doubt it," Pony says.

"Hey, what do you think Darry's talking about on the phone?" I ask.

"Probably his boss telling him something about the next house they're roofing," Soda says.

"I don't know, man. He looks awfully happy to be talking to his boss," Ponyboy comments. I laugh quietly.

"Alright, wise guy. Maybe he's got himself a girl. I don't know!"

"That's a little far-fetched, don't you think?" I ask. "I mean, he's always working and stuff to find a girl."

"Well maybe by some miracle we're all gonna go on a dream vacation to the beach," Soda retorts.

"I've always wanted to go to the beach..." I answer dreamily.

"Okay..." Darry says, listening to the phone again. "Thank you so much, sir. This really means a lot... Yes, sir... Goodnight." He hangs up and smiles from ear to ear.

"What's with the look, Darry?" Soda asks.

"You won't believe me if I told you!" he says. "This is great. A great opportunity for us!"

"Spit it out!" Pony insists.

"Well we worked on this house for a while, and it's really nice for a house on this side of town. But it ain't a soc house or nothing. Just a simple two-story house. Well my boss called saying it's been up for sale for months, and no one wants it. He figured since I worked on it the most, that I'd want it," Darry says quickly. It was kinda hard to keep up with him.

"So what're you saying?" I ask.

"Guys," he says happily, "we're moving."